One Rose
by Sakura's Shadows
Summary: As long as this one rose stays alive is as long as I'll love you. Kenshin and Kaoru celebrate Valentine's Day. Kaoru's POV. Modern day AU(one-shot)


One Rose  
By- Sakura's Shadow  
Type- One-shot

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As long as this one rose stays alive is as long as I'll love you. Kenshin and Kaoru celebrate Valentine's Day. Kaoru's POV. Modern dayA/U(one-shot)

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I sat there on the rocking chair, rocking back and forth, eyes keeping attention to the window, watching for him to come. He'd said the day before he'd be here first thing. It's twelve I've not heard the phone ring nor have I heard the knock at the door that should be his. Oh, Kenshin...

I listened to the rain outside making _pitter patter _sounds on the roof, watching as the droplets would leak down to the window. The view to the outside was was burred due to the rain on the window. I sighed, scratching head. Oh, Kenshin...how long must you always keep me waiting? It seems as though I'm always waiting for you. You're always late. I know you always do come but...

_ring_

I jumped at the sudden noise, my stomach feeling like an ice cube was dropped into it, heart racing. The phone rang several more times. I didn't want to answer it but...it must've been Kenshin.

So I got up, picked up the cordless phone off the table, and plopped my delicate body on the leather sofa. Pressing the talk button, I prepared my voice to be sweet and kind.

"Hello" I said.

My voice was scratchy as I'd had stayed out long yesterday in the rain to finish something in the garden.

"Hey Kaoru. I'm really sorry I'm so late. Traffic has been backed up due to flooding." came Kenshin's voice.

"I see..." I whispered.

"Kaoru don't be sad I'll be there. I promise" he cooed to me.

"You always promise. You always say you'll be on time, but the fact is you never aren't..." I said to him.

I batted my eyelashes a few times, hoping to get rid of the tears welling up in my aquamarine eyes. I heard him sigh on the phone. He was just as frustrated as I was...maybe more.

"Kaoru..."Kenshin just trailed off for sometime.

We didn't talk for a while. I know Kenshin was driving because I heard the often sounds of a horn, the an occasional sigh from Kenshin, and the static when his mobile would go in and out of range. After an awkward silence, that last at least ten minutes, Kenshin spoke up. I bit my bottom lip, one hand playing with a piece of my silken ebony hair.

"Happy Valentine's D" Kenshin's phone went out.

My eyes got wide when I heard the screeching of breaks.

"Kenshin! KENSHIN! Oh, Kenshin no" I yelled into the phone.

_Beeeeep_

That was my response, a signal that no one was on the other line...

I dialed the number to his phone quickly, my hands trembling, sweat forming on my brow. _This can't be happening, _I kept thinking over and over in my head. Putting the phone up to my ear, I heard a soft ringing tone. My insides calmed for a mere second when it ran once, but then a recording came on saying"This number is no longer available."

I sunk into the couch, tears forming in my eyes. Why did this have to happen to my first love and on Valentine's Day!

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I walked down the white halls of the hospital. Everything looked so depressing. People were out in the halls on hospital beds. Doctor's raced by, some pushing me like I was just a rag doll. As I walked I could hear the screams of pain from a patient or the screams of agony from some one who just heard that their loved one had died. I'd never been a big fan of hospitals.

There was a sign above my head. It directed me to ICU, the place Kenshin was. They said on the phone he'd only have a ten percent chance of making it. Kenshin was strong! I knew he would make no matter of percents! Misao has been calling my mobile several times from the hospital room to give me the latest on Kenshin's condition. It's seemed that it's only gotten worse. He was fighter, maybe he was going to attack at the right time to make his self well again.

I kept keeping positive thoughts in my head. My heart sank when I had stopped in front of room 716. This was it, I was going to see my love with so many tubes stuck in his body. A tear ran down my face as I laid my thin hand on the brown door. I creaked it open and put one foot in the room. My eyes looked up, and I saw Misao, sitting in a chair beside Kenshin's bed, crying.There were no tubes in his body and his eyes were closed, looking as though he were just sleeping. I smiled wide.

"He's okay! He's just sleeping. Right Misao? And those tears are just tears of joy" I yelled, starting to run to Kenshin's bed side.

I felt a hand on my shoulder it was big and kind of sweaty. I turned my head quickly just to see Sanouske Sagara have a sad look in his big shiny eyes. His hair was spiked and he wore a red head band. His clothes were just a simple white t-shirt and bluejeans. I saw an orange tone to him from the setting sun the had seeped through the blinds. Looking past Sano I saw Megumi crying her eyes out. Then it dawned upon me...but no! I had to see for myself.

Sano drew me into a tight embrace before I could run to Kenshin. I felt my body go stiff and rigid at the touch. My hands rested on his chest and I could feel a tear fall onto my cheek, landing on my blue tank top, making it soggy. Kenshin...

"Kaoru he" Sanosuke he started.

"Let go. He's okay. I know he is" I pushed my hands forward making him fall back on to the white floor.

Turning, I ran to Kenshin. I dropped at his bedside, my knees on the floor my hand cupping his face, my thumbs rubbing over his cheeks. Misao had looked at me with her big emerald eyes. She shook her head at me grabbing Kenshin's hand. "No please Kenshin! Wake up. Wake up. You can be..."

I felt Misao's slender hand on my trembling one. I kept yelling out, but then I stopped when Misao shook her head. I couldn't believe. He couldn't be dead. Misao walked over to my side. She put her right hand on my shoulder and spoke these words.

"Kenshin is dead Kaoru. He wanted me to say what he couldn't finish on the phone. He wanted me to say Happy Valentine's Day Kaoru."

I looked at her, my eyes wide, tears falling by the dozen. My first love is dead...

"Missy, He died only minutes before you walked in..." Sano trailed off.

I shook my head, pounding it with my fists, withdrawing from Misao's touch. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe it! Hoping that it was all a dream, I kept pounding on my head, just wanting to wake from this nightmare.

"Kenshin. N-no." my voice trembled as I grabbed his hand, intertwining my fingers with his icy cold ones.

His hands were so cold, not like the ones that had touched my skin just a day before. The hands I'd felt at that time were so warm they could give life to anything they touched. I felt so helpless. I gripped his hand as though it were a last lifeline even though I knew I couldn't hold hand on to his hand forever...

"Kaoru..." Megumi merely whispered, with her soft voice. I looked at her. Her narrow eyes looked at her hand in which in held a red rose with a message in a small envelope tied to it. It's petals looked like the brightest red as though it were just picked form the garden. "It was his Valentine's Day gift to you."

I rubbed a bit of mucus coming from my nose on my arms, sniffing a bit. Then I took the rose form Megumi's hand. I felt the petals of it, expecting to feel the silkiness of rose petals. Instead, I felt the fabric of a fake rose. The stem was plastic as were the leaves on it. Skeptical about what this meant, I opened the envelope, hoping for an explanation. I saw Kenshin's handwriting. It looked so delicate at the touch. Kenshin always did have the best hand writing.

"Kaoru, as long as this one rose stays alive is as long as I'll love you. Happy Valentine's day! Love forever and always, Kenshin" I clutched the small paper in my hand, smiling a sad and happy smile"Even when he dies he knows how to make me smile..."

"That was sweet of him Kaoru." Misao hugged me tight. I didn't move my eyes from the rose"His love for you will always live."

Sano looked at Megumi"I'm sure he would just want us all to smile. Missy knows that and she fulfills it..."

Megumi nodded and wiped a tear from her fox-like eyes.

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_Even when he dies he knows how to make me smile_

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_**It's hard to write about love. When your boyfriend decides to break up with you right before Valentine's Day. I'm sozzie I've not written in ages. I know you're all think excuses excuses. Sorry! Please review!I worked quite hard on it. Advise, praise, and criticism is highly welcome by this lowly writer. **_


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